Saturday, April 30, 2011

I am leaving tomorrow for a conference in Dallas. After three and a half days of sitting in a room listening to people talking about the Medical Reserve Corps, I am heading for the Gulf and three days of sitting under a tree with no people talking to me at all.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

I was guest lecturer at one of the universities (we have two) last week, talking to students in the Public Health program about emergency preparedness and response. I spoke to them for forty-five minutes about floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, blizzards, oil spills, bioterrorism, radiation poisoning etc.

The professor forwarded to me the evaluations they wrote. Pretty much all of them were positive except for one young woman who commented “A very interesting speaker but harsh.”

Saturday, April 23, 2011

We are driving back from shopping in town. The spousal unit has been griping about the Bad New Days (as opposed to the Good Old Ones), this particular complaint prompted by a bridge that has been out on the main road for three or four weeks with no sign that the construction crew is making much progress.

He: You know, in my world --

Me: (wearily) Yeah, we'd be driving the oxcart right through the ford, centurion.

Monday, April 18, 2011

The spousal unit was called out before supper to go get a raccoon out of a neighbor's attic. Turned out it was a mamma raccoon and she took a powder, leaving behind six babies. He is now desperately trying to reach the lady who lives one county north of us and runs a raccoon rescue.

(And no, he is not bringing them back here to live. Two cats and two German Shepherds are adventure enough for anybody).

UPDATE: He got hold of the lady and is now on his way to Livingston County with a cage full of cheeping babies on the seat beside him and the heater going full blast so they don't catch cold.

In skillet, blend mustard with small amount of tomato sauce; add remaining tomato sauce along with remaining ingredients, except franks. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, till mixture comes to boiling; reduce heat and simmer gently 30 minutes. Add franks; cook until franks are hot and plumped, 7 to 8 minutes. Serve in warm buns or over rice. If franks are to be served over rice, slice diagonally before adding to barbecue mixture. Makes 4 or 5 servings.

Cook cabbage leaves in boiling water only till pliable, about 10 minutes; drain well. Brush one side of each frank with a small amount of mustard, roll in a cabage leave. Arrange in an 11x7x1 ½ inch baking dish. Mix vegetables and seasonings; pour over franks. Cover; bake in moderate oven (350⁰) 35 minutes or till hot. Top with cheese and corn chips. Bake uncovered 5 minutes. Makes 4 or 5 servings.

From America's Favorite Recipes From Better Homes and Gardens, published 1966.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

I was watching an old 50's western last night and when the hero (trapped in the town jail and valiantly defending himself against a small army with only his trusty Winchester) discovers a trapdoor in the roof and sets a chair up on top of his desk to climb onto so he can escape, the first thought that popped into my head was "OSHA violation!"

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Not from my collection but rather from those lovely people at Purple Kitty, a vintage crochet doll's costume book from Coats & Clarks, circa 1952. The patterns are free (but if you're feeling particularly flush you can buy the digitally restored e-book).

Sunday, April 3, 2011

I returned from the Mennonite thrift shop with (among other things*) a 1970 copy of Betty Crocker’s Dinner Parties, a lovely nostalgic wallow in the days when entertaining guests called for the kind of advance logistical planning normally associated with invasions. Here is a fairly simple one, targeting the busy homemaker or working wife who needed to feed guests with a minimal amount of cooking. Note that they even provide a timeline and a market list. The cookbook authors call it “Deli Dinner in Disguise.”

Place frozen peas in colander or sieve; run cold water over peas just until thawed, about ½ minute. Drain peas; place in bowl. Drizzle salad dressing over peas and toss until coated. Place coleslaw in serving dish, making a large indentation in center. Pour peas in center of coleslaw. 4 servings.

Because Help Can't Wait

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About Me

Middle-aged Middle-westerner, retired Marine and Detroiter who somehow wound up in a farm village of 900 people. I am a Red Cross volunteer and adrenalin junkie, and currently work as a bioterrorism/public health planner. My hobbies are military history and needlework. I share the bungalow with the Spousal Unit, Reserve Cat who is by far the nicest and sweetest inhabitant of the bungalow, and Babyface, our German Shepherd. You will find here free patterns from my collection of pre-1955 needlework magazines (sewing, knitting, tatting, crochet, embroidery, etc) as well as old recipes, vintage household hints, poetry, occasional rants, LOLCats, and any pieces of ephemera that tickle my fancy.